Ed Brisson Reveals First Details about the X-Men Extermination

Published May 15, 2018
By Tucker Chet Markus

Plus, get an exclusive first look at the cover of issue #2!

Prepare for EXTERMINATION on August 15.

The highly secretive series, brought to life—or death—by writer Ed Brisson and artist Pepe Larraz, tells a story set 20 years in the future as all of mutant existence is on the brink. The original X-Men squad—Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, Beast, and Marvel Girl—find themselves targeted for death. And the future of mutantkind lies squarely in the hands of its past.

Get the first look at Mark Brooks‘ cover for EXTERMINATION #2 right here:

And now jump into our chat with Ed Brisson, as we caught up with the writer to get a few more details about the upcoming series.

Marvel.com: EXTERMINATION sets off with the original team of mutants gathered by Charles Xavier all those years ago. Why them?

Ed Brisson: This series is about the Original Five—Jean, Bobby, Warren, Hank and Scott. Years ago, they were brought from the past to our present so that they could see how badly things went wrong with their older selves and, theoretically, fix it. They were only meant to be here briefly, but have stuck around for far, far too long and their presence is finally going to have some very serious consequences—not just for themselves and the X-Men, but for all of mutantkind.

Marvel.com: How do the early UNCANNY X-MEN stories influence this book?

Ed Brisson: Our mandate going into this was, “Your back issues matter.” Every single UNCANNY X-MEN story involving the Original Five X-Men matters. If the X-Men are here, then they’re not where they’re supposed to be, fighting those they’re supposed to fight. What happens when that past starts to unravel? What’s the butterfly effect on our present?

Marvel.com: In this new era, what about this team’s dynamic remains the same as those early stories? And what is most different about the squad today?

Ed Brisson: In a lot of ways, they’re still the wide-eyed kids they’ve always been, but having spent several years in our present, they’ve changed their perspective on a lot of things. Jean and Scotty aren’t the classic couple they’ve always been, Hank’s been experimenting with magic, Warren’s got himself some serious upgrades, and Bobby’s been able to open up about himself in ways that would not have been easy for him to do back in their time.

There’s a lot of reasons for each of them to want to remain in the present and that creates a real danger for everyone.

Marvel.com: This book has quite the ominous title…what can you tease about this extinction-level threat?

Ed Brisson: Not too much. We’re going to be throwing readers a lot of curveballs. All I’ll say is that this is a chance for us to clear the board a bit and that anything can happen to anyone at any time.

Prepare for the new series with the special post-credit scenes arriving across Marvel Comics! Then read EXTERMINATION #1, by Ed Brisson and Pepe Larraz, on August 15 and EXTERMINATION #2 on August 29!

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Iceman: Slice ‘N’ Ice

Published Dec 5, 2017
By Jim Beard

Sina Grace pops Daken’s claws for a fight with Bobby Drake!

On January 3, Daken looks to break the ice.

In ICEMAN #9, Bobby Drake and the son of Wolverine face off in an all-out brawl! Written by Sina Grace with art by Robert Gill, Iceman must temporarily put aside his travails with his family and love life in order to fend off a razor-sharp opponent in Daken. So how will the two mutants fare?

We caught up with Grace to hear more about the combatants.

Marvel.com: Sina, how would you characterize Bobby and Daken’s relationship at this point in time?

Sina Grace: In a word: contentious. Neither really respects the other’s approach to life.

Marvel.com: Doesn’t sound like a basis for a lasting friendship. So, what makes this clash inevitable? And what major factors will decide which way the fight goes?

Sina Grace: Bobby and Daken had a pretty heated match in ICEMAN #4, when Iceman had to go rescue a runaway student. The altercation ended up being pretty embarrassing for Daken—he got impaled by a large snowflake.

Little known fact: Daken lives with a Death Seed inside of him, dormant until another Horseman dies…or so you’d think. Daken successfully kidnapped one of Iceman’s students and has been training him. For what? We’ll find out in ICEMAN #9.

Marvel.com: What makes Bobby a good bet in this showdown?

Sina Grace: Iceman is an Omega-level mutant who does not fear his own potential…so he has that going for him. Also, I think now more than ever, Bobby has everything to live for.

Marvel.com: Conversely, what might give Daken the edge?

Sina Grace: Daken’s about to try and activate the Death Seed, so he could become near-Apocalypse powerful. That, and in complete contrast with Bobby, Daken’s got nothing to lose—which makes for a scary opponent.

Marvel.com: And, on top of everything, Bobby’s moving to Los Angeles. Does he truly feel like it’s the best thing for him right now?

Sina Grace: I feel like Bobby’s therapist answering this question [Laughs]. His wanting to move might be complicated because the Los Angeles trip he took with the Champions turned out to be such a special one. He kicked ass, he met someone he really likes, and he ran away from his own context for a bit. It’s the right amount of familiar with just enough upheaval to feel like a sound decision. But Kitty’s not supportive. You’ll see.

Marvel.com: What can you tease about any guest stars in ICEMAN #9? Who can we look forward to seeing?

Sina Grace: Northstar fans will be excited to see that Jean-Paul and Kyle have a little moment in the issue, and there are like a dozen cute little cameos readers will have to keep their eyes open for. Beyond that, expect to see the Generation X kids as well!

Marvel.com: What do you love about artist Robert Gill’s work in these issues?

Sina Grace: Robert seems to have a great handle on Daken—the kind of menace I want him to play in this arc. I know that Robert’s a legit X-fan like me, so I tried to sneak in some pretty cool X-moments. Marvel released a pretty awesome spread of X-MEN: GOLD fighting some…“purifiers.” Robert’s one of those rare comic artists that can draw everything, so I’ve been having a blast making him handle comedy, drama, horror, and action!

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Daken Comes Knockin': An Iceman Sketchbook

Published Dec 1, 2017
By Tj Dietsch

Chill with artist Robert Gill as he brings back the son of Wolverine!

Daken’s coming to town and that might not be such a good thing for Bobby Drake. Wolverine’s psycho son will pay a visit to his fellow mutant starting with ICEMAN #9 by writer Sina Grace and artist Robert Gill on January 3.

Gill joined the book with issue #6 and has been going strong since. In that time he’s developed his take on the frosty hero, but now he gets to give Daken a whole new look thanks to the presence of an Apocalypse Death Seed! We talked with the artist about transitioning to the title, figuring out Bobby’s looks, and powering Daken up!

Marvel.com: How has it been hopping on ICEMAN and working with Sina so far?

Robert Gill: It’s been great, and working with Sina has been a blast. It felt like a very smooth transition for me coming off TOTALLY AWESOME HULK and into ICEMAN, and I think issue #6 was a great starting point since it basically kicked off a new arc. Sina’s been super supportive of my work and he’s always available to go back and forth over any aspect of the book, which I feel has helped shape it into something even better than we hoped.

Marvel.com: What are the main elements to Bobby’s visuals both when he’s iced-up and defrosted?

Robert Gill: As Iceman, I try to capture the varied look and feel that ice can have, from a smooth reflective quality to the jagged, tough edges. The sled and how it’s created and moves is very iconic and I’ve tried to treat it as a character all its own.

As for Bobby Drake, I like to think of him as a very approachable, nice, every day kind of guy. He’s not a massive dude, nor does he have any real distinctive physical traits like a scar or missing body part or something wacky, so he’s actually been a little more challenging to nail aesthetically than pretty much any other character in the book! Sina gets pretty specific with the fashion elements of Bobby and the supporting characters, and that helps a lot in defining them visually.

Marvel.com: You alluded to this a bit in mentioning the sled, but Iceman’s powers offer a lot of potential. Do you enjoy figuring out how all that plays out on the page?

Robert Gill: I think that might be my favorite aspect of the book. At times it can be tough to come up with cool-looking manifestations of his powers that maybe haven’t been seen before due to deadlines and things, since I’d love to spend way more time designing the specific visuals. But it’s very fun to have basically no limits to the imagination here and I very much enjoy incorporating any of these visuals into the design and layout of a page.

Marvel.com: How would you describe Bobby and Daken’s relationship going into this story and how it changes as the tale progresses?

Robert Gill: My impression was that they seemed to have a sort of standoffish relationship coming into this. They weren’t bloodthirsty enemies that brawled the second they saw one another, and I don’t think Iceman/Bobby saw Daken as too big of a threat overall. But, before this series is through, all that will change!

Marvel.com: In this book you’ve got Daken powering up with the Apocalypse Death Seed. What was the process like for figuring out how that would look?

Robert Gill: Sina was fairly specific on how Daken should look and he’s always great with painting a pretty clear picture of things in his scripts. I love to play off that and run with things, to try and evolve and beef things up even more than perhaps he intended.

I’d love to spend a whole week working on a design for any character, even two weeks, but that’s just not possible with a monthly book. So, I try to get a clear idea in my head from the descriptions in the script and any outside inspirations I can think of, and just build a look as I go, through the layout process and while working on the final page.

ICEMAN #9, by Sina Grace and Robert Gill, slides your way on January 3!

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Iceman: Breaking the Ice

Published Nov 6, 2017
By Steffi Feldman

Every incarnation of Bobby Drake for himself in this tense team-up!

Things have been tense between the two Bobby Drakes ever since the younger one got time-displaced all up in adult Bobby’s business. But for all their differences, they’ve got to put them aside to face their oldest common foe: good ol’ mom and dad.

Let’s just say it’s a slippery slope. Who will be the first to crack in Sina Grace and Robert Gill’s “Iceman vs. Iceman”? Find out in ICEMAN #8—available December 6!

In the meantime, Grace kindly let us in on everything Bobby Drake for this double whammy of a team-up!

Marvel.com: Catch us up on what’s been going down in ICEMAN as of late!

Sina Grace: Iceman just went to Los Angeles and teamed up with his old crew in the Champions, where they fought some Sentinels, mourned [Black Widow], and hit up the sunset strip—so to speak. While there, Bobby met a cute guy named Judah, and they hit it off! Feeling a little bit of a “going through the motions” vibe in New York, our hero opted to make a big decision and move to L.A. Meanwhile: Bobby’s parents found out about his time-displaced self, and Daken is hiding somewhere in Madripoor with a kidnapped student from the X-Mansion. Drama-o-rama!

Marvel.com: How are these two Bobby Drakes similar and different from one another?

Sina Grace: I always say that both Bobby Drakes use humor in different ways; the Bobby we’re following in ICEMAN usually uses it to break tension or deflect, whereas the time-displaced Bobby doesn’t quite know how ugly the world is, and thinks everything can be written off with a joke. I see them both as incredibly confident warriors who never take issue with teamwork and following orders.

Marvel.com: From the first issue adult Iceman has been jealous of his younger counterpart; why do you suppose the time traveling Bobby Drake feels so comfortable in his skin when the adult version still struggles with it?

Sina Grace: My sense is that the time-displaced Bobby Drake is running in the present without the additional 10-15 years of bigotry and baggage on his shoulders; 10-15 years of his parents constantly disapproving of all his decisions. I refer to him as “Post-Glee,” where it’s perfectly acceptable to be you, so what’s the big ish? In issue #8, we get to see some of his own fears play out in both comical and dramatic ways.

Iceman #8 cover by Mike Deodato

Marvel.com: Walk us through Bobby’s relationship with his parents.

Sina Grace: Ma and Pa Drake are Irish Catholics who have a very rigid view of how to live life, how to “be,” etc. They’re loving, but incredibly judgmental about lifestyle choices. Like, it took Bobby’s dad having a fake heart attack to start eating healthy! So, they’re still on the conservative side of accepting mutants.

Marvel.com: How is the working dynamic between the two Bobbys?

Sina Grace: [Original five X-Men] Bobby loves learning from his older self, but at the same time he is very much his own person and believes he has insights into their powers that our Iceman may not immediately be aware of.

Marvel.com: What would you say to a younger version of yourself if you had to go fight crime together?

Sina Grace: If I had to have a conversation with my younger self about fighting crime, I’d be like, “Listen dude, don’t skimp on training. Even if you’ve got a higher power level than some of your classmates, don’t be a jerk—be a student. You’re always a student.”

See what Sina Grace and Robert Gill have in store for the Icemen in ICEMAN #8—pick it up December 6!

Sina Grace sends Iceman to battle alongside the Champions!

On November 1, writer Sina Grace and artist Robert Gill see Bobby balancing the maintenance of a legacy he’s yet to build, leading a team he’s never served with, and—perhaps most terrifying—going on a date.

Sina filled us in on the complex, challenging, mile-a-minute life of the young Iceman.

Marvel.com: How would you describe the dynamics found in this iteration of the Champions?

Sina Grace: This assortment of characters come together under very human circumstances—grieving a friend—but these aren’t particularly “human” characters. Considering that Bobby Drake may be the most human of them all, given how much he’s been thawing out of late, he ends up being the emotional backbone of this group.

Marvel.com: Considering that Iceman finds himself as the youngest member of the group, how does he feel about getting dropped into the role of team leader?

Sina Grace: My approach with Iceman being reinserted into the Champions became putting him in situations where he may not have previously been equipped to save the day, but in this story he pulls it off—no problem. A lot needs to be juggled in issues #6 and #7: the Champions have to take down a bunch of seemingly rogue sentinels while protecting civilians in busy West Hollywood, everyone’s grieving Natasha, and on top of that, Bobby jumps into the middle of his first date with a boy! Typical Marvel Comics stuff, amirite?

The Bobby Drake of yesteryear would probably have pushed all the emotional stuff down and focused solely on being a hero…the new Iceman feels ready to take it all on.

Marvel.com: What did you think of seeing Robert Gill unleashed on this large cast for the first time? How did you find the collaborative process with him?

Sina Grace: I feel like the Marvel Legacy tie-in acted as a really great way to test Robert’s capabilities as a storyteller and illustrator. We had a talk before I wrote out this massive fight scene in issue #7 and he basically told me to throw everything I’ve got at him, and I followed with: “If you can make it cooler than what I described, go for it.”

The result couldn’t be more epic. Robert grew up reading Marvel Comics just like I did, so I think he felt pretty ecstatic to take a stab at these characters. He draws such a sick Ghost Rider! I wish we had more bandwidth to dedicate to Johnny Blaze.

Marvel.com: The team finds itself up against a swarm of Sentinels in this issue. What made them the right antagonists for this arc?

Sina Grace: I couldn’t find any villains that seemed appropriate—in terms of speaking to what the characters deal with, in terms of grieving Natasha, and in terms of reminiscing about being Champions—so I decided to tell a story about someone trying to carve a space for herself in this world, paralleling Iceman’s own journey. The Sentinels also nod to the last issue of CHAMPIONS from the ‘70s!

Marvel.com: In the life of Iceman, how do you see issue #7 as a key point in his ongoing evolution?

Sina Grace: I told readers that, after issue five, we’d get to see Bobby Drake come into his own, flexing some Omega-Level muscles. From an action standpoint, this issue truly delivers. Bobby refuses to hold back any longer, because he’s confident enough to know that he’s got the training and know-how to do the right thing. I wanted to throw a handful of instances where Bobby’s decision-making steers him right—both as a super hero and a human. Readers should expect more of this kind of Iceman as the series progresses.

Join the Champions in ICEMAN #7, by Sina Grace and artist Robert Gill, on November 1!

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Kirby 100: Sina Grace

Published Sep 18, 2017
By Tj Dietsch

The writer of Iceman pays homage to Bobby Drake’s co-creator!

1917 to 2017: 100 years of Kirby.

Join us this month to celebrate Jack “King” Kirby’s 100th birthday by learning about the characters and stories he created that changed comics forever. To commemorate Jack’s centennial, we’ve sat down with the modern-day creators he influenced—and the decades of work he gifted us all.

Forgive the pun, but in 1963, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the coolest character in comics: Iceman! Debuting alongside his fellow mutants in the pages of UNCANNY X-MEN #1, Bobby Drake not only revealed himself as the youngest of the bunch, but also the class clown. The frozen hero has grown quite a bit since then, but ICEMAN writer Sina Grace still sees the connections going back to those earliest appearances when he looked more like a walking-talking snowman than the experienced X-Man we’ve come to know and love.

We talked with Grace about how a toy probably introduced him to “The King,” the personality Stan and Jack infused Bobby with, and how all that influenced his own work.

Marvel.com: How did you first discover Jack’s work? Do you remember what you thought of it at the time?

Sina Grace: I think maybe the first time I saw Jack Kirby’s work was in some UNCANNY X-MEN #1 reprint that came with an action figure? Growing up, I remembered always being drawn to it over some of his other contemporaries. Like, I’m pretty sure I’m the only kid in the world who was like, “Why is this Neal Adams guy drawing X-Men in later issues?!” [Laughs]

Marvel.com: When you knew you wanted to make comics, did you go back, look at his work and learn anything that helped you in your own process?

Sina Grace: My experiences learning from Kirby’s art were always about how to communicate a lot of information with the constraints of being under deadline. Jack was so prolific, and his art was always dynamic. I examined that. I remember seeing an exhibit with his originals for the Masters of American Comics exhibition, and just spending solid minutes looking at every detail, every brush stroke. Thanks Glen David Gold for contributing so much of your collection to that!

Marvel.com: Iceman obviously looks different now than he did when Jack drew him, but what do you think makes that a classic look?

Sina Grace: Jack’s representation of Bobby is sort of how I love him best: being a walking, talking snowman could be fodder for embarrassment, but our boy leaned into it and was in on the joke from the get-go. Jack always drew him with humor and levity, when he could have been far more angsty about his skill set in those early years.

Marvel.com: You’ve worked on a lot of different kinds of books in different fields, like Jack did. Do you think he inspired you at all in that way?

Sina Grace: I wouldn’t say that Jack directly inspired me to go ahead and play around with genres and art styles, but I will say that I was always inspired by the way he was able to evolve his style while staying consistently true to what made something deserving of the Kirby signature.

Stay tuned to Marvel.com for more throughout Kirby Month and beyond! And join the conversation on all of our social channels with the hashtag #Kirby100.

Sina Grace details the Marvel Legacy reunion of the original Champions!

The super group—which debuted in THE CHAMPIONS #1 over 40 years ago—consisted of Iceman, Black Widow, Hercules, Ghost Rider, Darkstar, and Angel. And on October 4, as Iceman assembles a team to “protect those who can’t protect themselves,” a familiar foe returns to counter the Champions and all that they hold dear.

We met up with Sina to map out a Champion reunion four decades in the making.

Marvel.com: What about Iceman’s past made you want to revisit the Champions?

Sina Grace: Outside of the X-Men, the Champions are the most important team Bobby Drake has ever been a part of. Bobby also found himself in a unique place at that time—back then, Iceman lived in Los Angeles as a student at UCLA, considered the “kid” of the team. And when my editor told me Black Widow would be dead by the time my issues happened [due to the events of Secret Empire], suddenly all the stories synced up with his journey in ICEMAN.

Marvel.com: Of this group, Bobby and Warren Worthington have known each other the longest—how would you describe their relationship today?

Sina Grace: I would describe Bobby and Warren’s relationship as “bromantic,” to say the least. Readers will get to see the pair lean on each other as friends. For anyone reading ASTONISHING X-MEN, they’ll see that Warren needs Bobby’s comfort and guidance more than ever before.

Marvel.com: Darkstar’s probably the least known member of the Champions at this point. What’s her situation as this story picks up?

Sina Grace: I sort of play into her odd-woman-out vibe. She’s trying desperately to cling to some kind of normalcy—to be some kind of reliable—after Natasha’s death. And it’s a struggle. Darkstar plays into the concept that, “It’s easy to be a hero; it’s hard to be a human.”

Marvel.com: Hercules and Black Widow are well-established heroes—does Bobby look up to them in some ways?

Sina Grace: We’ll get to see some new layers behind Bobby’s relationship with Black Widow. It’s interesting—in the aftermath of Natasha’s death, Hercules isn’t really able to play leader at the moment…which gives more reason for Bobby ending up front and center in this story. If anything, readers can expect to see Hercules as more of a wingman for Bobby (cue intense ellipsis)…

Marvel.com: How does Ghost Rider fit into these team dynamics?

Sina Grace: He’s got some great moments, and he really gets some cool bits in issue #7. Robert Gill and I had so much fun choreographing the fight scenes to not only play to Ghost Rider’s strengths, but also to the visual strengths of each of these insanely different characters. For as much as these characters grieve and struggle, they have a lot of fun too!

On October 4,Sina Grace and artist Robert Gill bring the Champions together again with ICEMAN #6!

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Iceman: The Parent Trap

Can Bobby Drake survive his most terrifying encounter yet?

Bobby Drake returns on July 26 in ICEMAN #3, written by Sina Grace with art by Alessandro Vitti, to face his scariest opponent yet: his parents.

In this new series Bobby’s life remains a bit complicated despite his desperate attempts to find both self and general acceptance, de-stress his life outside of the X-Men and have a little less icy relationship with his family. But lets face it: mutants attract drama, and in the words of a wise young prince, there’s no need to argue, parents just don’t understand.

Just how little do they understand? We caught up with Grace to find out!

Marvel.com:We know Bobby is headed home to visit his parents; what’s going through his mind? Anything he’s worried or excited about?

Sina Grace: After Bobby and Kitty’s adventure in West Covina [in ICEMAN #2], he’s feeling the urge to open up to his parents, and build a more honest relationship with [them]. He’s done dancing around the aspects of his life that he wants to celebrate—being a mutant, his sexuality, etc.

Marvel.com:What’s Bobby’s daydream scenario of how his visit plays out?

Sina Grace: In Bobby’s “best of” scenario, his parents would [sense] something was going on, and basically hand him the opportunity to feel like he can open up without shame or judgment. Basically, he’d love if they did the work for him!

Marvel.com:What’s actually in store for him at this family get together?

Sina Grace: Unfortunately for the Drake parents, their new home, and all of their nice things, the Purifiers are staging an ambush. The runt that Iceman took out in the first issue mattered a great deal to someone higher up…

Marvel.com:You can see in ICEMAN #1 that Bobby and his parents aren’t exactly on the same page; can you describe a little more in depth the dynamic of their relationship?

Sina Grace: Bobby’s relationship with his family, for me, comes from the same DNA as characters in a David O. Russell film: overpowering, Irish Catholic, and a little sassy. Bobby’s got to get his wit from somewhere!

Iceman #3 cover by Kevin Wada

Marvel.com:Briefly describe the perfect life for Bobby from his parent’s perspective.

Sina Grace: Historically speaking, Bobby’s parents are happiest when their son is living his life in bullet points they can toss around as bragging rights to friends: “Bobby’s got a degree. Bobby bought a house. Bobby proposed.” His life doesn’t follow any traditional road map, and that makes them uncomfortable.

Marvel.com:What does Bobby have in common with his parents, and where do they differ?

Sina Grace: I think the easiest way to sum up their relationship, in terms of what they have in common and how they differ, is that they love each other, but they don’t like each other.

Marvel.com:Does their relationship grow at all?

Sina Grace: Papa and Mama Drake do end up seeing their son in a different light. I’m not sure whether or not readers will expect it, but to that point: I want the reader’s relationship with Bobby’s parents to grow in a way where you see them as humans.

Marvel.com:Is there anything you can tease about what’s in store for Bobby? Any surprises?

Sina Grace: Fans should expect a few more friendly faces to pop in the book over the next few issues. In terms of surprises, I have some pretty intense stuff lined up with Bobby and his journey to understand his powers a bit more! Keep on reading!

Lightning Round!

Marvel.com:Bobby’s biggest pet peeve with his parents?SG: Judgment. Marvel.com:His parent’s biggest pet peeve with him?SG: Unaccomplished. Marvel.com:What is their parenting style?SG: Catholic Marvel.com:If his parents had mutant powers what would they be?SG: Rock skin. Marvel.com:It’s Christmas: what does Bobby give them?SG: Personal trinket. Marvel.com:What do they give Bobby?SG: Sweater and gift certificate. Marvel.com:What are his parent’s best qualities?SG: Dedication. Marvel.com:Their worst quality?SG: Obstinate. Marvel.com:What would they say is Bobby’s best quality?SG: Intelligence. Marvel.com: His worst quality?SG: Immaturity. Marvel.com:If they could change one thing about each other what would it be?SG: Perspective. Marvel.com:Do cool jokes run in the family?SG: Sometimes.

Don’t miss a single cringe-worthy family moment in ICEMAN #3 by Sina Grace and Alessandro Vitti, out July 26!

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Flashback Friday: Iceman

Bobby Drake slides into a new solo series—see his start as an X-Man!

Every Friday we use the powers of Marvel Unlimited to look back at the very first appearance of a major character, place or object that made waves this week.

Sina Grace and Alessandro Vitti’s ICEMAN #1 sends Bobby Drake on a journey to become the greatest hero he can be. With that in mind, let’s look back at exactly where that trek first began!

Like many of Marvel’s most popular characters, Mr. Drake came about thanks to the genius minds of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. In an effort to match the popularity of FANTASTIC FOUR, the company launched another team book, this one revolving around genetic anomalies with super powers otherwise known as mutants. UNCANNY X-MEN #1 launched in 1963 and introduced the world to Professor X, Cyclops, Beast, Angel, Marvel Girl, and the youngest of the bunch, Iceman!

Initially looking like a pile of snow in the shape of a man, Drake chaffed at how easy Professor X took it on him during Danger Room sessions. Instead of conveying a well-crafted argument, he grabbed a carrot, some buttons, a broom, and a hat to look like a snowman. That prompted the Prof. to mentally command Hank McCoy to throw a bowling ball at his youthful compatriot. Iceman used his abilities to freeze his own breath into a ramp to send the ball flying back at his assailant. An adolescent squabble between them and Cylops quickly broke out, but Charles broke it up by announcing that their newest teammate, Jean Grey, had arrived.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #1

Soon after, Magneto attacked a military base, which sent the team into action. Iceman utilized his powers to freeze the soldiers’ guns and launched ice grenades at some of the unleashed missiles. Bobby even shielded his teammates in an ice dome to stop the Master of Magnetism’s explosion from roasting them, but this also allowed the villain to get away!

In the 1987-penned intro to MARVEL MASTERWORKS THE X-MEN VOLUME 1, writer Lee recounted some of his trepidation regarding the frosty teen: “I was really worried about how readers would accept him but I figured what they hey, if they dug Human Torch, why not? Once again, the gamble paid off.”

Flash Forward

In recent years, Bobby Drake has come to meet not one, but two different versions of himself. A time-displaced incarnation of the original Children of the Atom showed up in the present in the pages of ALL-NEW X-MEN. Both younger Bobby’s met a future version of themselves during the Battle of the Atom story, dubbed Ice Wizard. In fact, all three of them joined forces to battle a rampaging ice creature created by the eldest of their ranks.

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Iceman: Cold Comfort

Sina Grace prepares Bobby Drake for a reunion with Kitty Pryde and more!

It may be spring, but there’s a cold front heading your way this June in the all-new series ICEMAN, written by Sina Grace with art by Allessandro Vitti!

To prepare you for the brewing storm we spoke with Grace to find out just what to expect and here’s the deal: The new series follows present day Iceman working through some of the more human aspects of his life that he has never really dealt with, like relationships, sexuality and how to be a successful adult. We understand those feels, Bobby. Oh and let’s not forget there’s a younger Bobby running around town who, according to Grace, slays life; nothing like competing with yourself.

So just who is Bobby Drake?

“He’s the funny guy who shoots ice out of his hands and says one-liners,” states Grace. “So instead of working around that I said, no, he’s very compartmentalized. And so we are looking at what comes after the laughter.” But let’s be clear: there will not be a shortage of one-liners. “I like the jokes I write for him,” the writer clarifies. “They aren’t jokes I could say, but when Bobby cuts them they work.”

And when ICEMAN #2 hits on June 21, you can bet several of these jokes poke fun at the weird, ex-girlfriend-but-still-fellow X-Man dynamic he has cooking with Kitty Pryde. “Awkward is an understatement,” muses Grace. “But Bobby and Kitty are both very responsible super heroes so they’ll never let what they haven’t worked out get in the way of helping people, or the world.” So when a new mutant’s powers emerge, the two former lovebirds set out to give him ye ol’ X-Men spiel, but things start to get a little slippery. “The situation definitely exacerbates what’s been left unspoken,” teases Grace.

Iceman #2 cover by Kevin Wada

Kitty has to deal with the fact that her ex-boyfriend is gay, and Bobby still isn’t exactly the, “Hey girl, let’s sit down and talk this through,” type. Luckily, his walls might be melting just a tad though. “He’s admitting that there is stuff to talk about and it can’t just be swept under the rug with a joke,” confirms Grace. So while they do progress it may take a few more awkwardly tense encounters before they can really put behind their history together to a copacetic friendzone future.

Oh and as an added bonus I’ll let you guys in on a little inside secret: Turns out Grace really likes “Sex and the City,” go figure, so artist Vitti decided to run with that, pretty literally, by giving Iceman a whole line of slick kicks that even Carrie Bradshaw would envy. Probably lost you at the “Sex and the City” reference, but hey at least you can say you know what it’s like behind the scenes!

Be sure to catch all the action, adulting progress, and cool shoes in ICEMAN #1 out June 7, and ICEMAN #2 out June 21!